7th Anniversary of Smart Capital: A New Phase of Development for Tunisian Startups
On the occasion of the 7th anniversary of Smart Capital, celebrated in El Ghazala, discussions highlighted both the progress and challenges of the startup ecosystem in Tunisia. Between strategic announcements, experiences, and reform perspectives, speakers outlined the contours of a new development phase for national innovation.
Minister of Communication Technologies: A Call for Regulatory Modernization
The Minister of Communication Technologies, Sofien Hemissi, recalled that Tunisia currently has around 1,300 innovative startups. This figure testifies to a real dynamic, even if some entrepreneurs still choose to settle abroad. For the minister, this phenomenon is a matter of individual decisions, but he invites a broader reading: the need to strengthen the country's attractiveness.
In his intervention, he emphasized the urgency of modernizing the legal framework. Several texts in force have become obsolete, with some dating back to the 1960s. "The current system no longer fully meets the requirements of the digital economy and innovation," he stressed, calling for a profound update of the regulatory environment.
Administrative Barriers and Opportunities
The minister also pointed out the administrative barriers that continue to weigh on startups. Procedural heaviness and a lack of adapted mechanisms still limit the growth potential of young companies. Hence the desire to "convert" this situation into an opportunity, through more flexible and effective devices, designed to facilitate the creation of companies, support their development, and ensure their sustainability.
Long-Term Vision and Entrepreneurial Culture
Beyond regulatory aspects, Sofien Hemissi emphasized a long-term vision. He highlighted the importance of anchoring entrepreneurial culture from a young age, particularly through the education system. Several initiatives already exist, he recalled, including in the fields of robotics and school competitions, aiming to familiarize young people with innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit.
"Startup Act 2.0": A New Legislative Framework
In this same dynamic, the Ministry of Communication Technologies is currently working on a new legislative framework called "Startup Act 2.0". This project aims to consolidate the achievements of the existing system by acting on two main axes: startup financing and regulatory environment. The stated objective is to adapt the Tunisian framework to the rapid transformations of the digital economy and strengthen the competitiveness of innovative companies.
Financing and Investment
On the financing front, Anava, a key player in startup investment, presents a generally positive assessment. Zied Ben Othman, fund of funds director at Anava, indicated that about ten investment funds are currently active in Tunisia. According to him, the Startup Act continues to play its role fully, and the innovation support devices are in place, which means that "the entire financing chain is working".
However, he estimates that the main challenge now lies in accelerating investments to give more dynamism to the ecosystem. He also recalled that Tunisia already has internationally recognized success stories, citing Instadeep, Expensya, and Dabchy as examples of startups that have succeeded in imposing themselves on the global technological scene.
The Startup Act: A Structured Process
For his part, Walid Baccouche, responsible for the Startup Act, highlighted the constant interest in the device. Since 2019, nearly 2,928 applications have been registered, resulting in 1,314 labels awarded, including 1,124 still active today. These figures translate, according to him, into a demanding but structured process, based on rigor and continuous monitoring of files.
He also specified that about 70% of the accompanied startups already generate revenue, an indicator that, according to him, reflects the growing maturity of the supported projects.
A New Phase of Development
Between announced reforms, the rise of financing mechanisms, and the consolidation of the Startup Act's achievements, this anniversary of Smart Capital marks an important step. That of an ecosystem in transition, which now seeks to shift into high gear.
